Tourism Attractions Increases, the Visits Continue to Surge

PANGKALPINANG — Tourism in Kepulauan
Bangka Belitung (Babel) province has once again shown a positive trend. In October 2025, the number of domestic tourist trips reached 355.40 thousand, up 5.53 percent compared to September and surged 42.74 percent compared to the same period last year.

It was conveyed by the Head of Provincial Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), Toto H. Silitonga, through the Official Statistics Release on December 1, 2025.

BPS recorded the number of guests staying overnight throughout October 2025 at 57,574 people, growing 10.16 percent compared to the previous month and increasing 12.94 percent compared to October 2024.

Most tourists—73.52 percent—chose star-rated hotels. The occupancy rate of star-rated hotel rooms reached 28.95 percent, with the city of Pangkalpinang having the highest occupancy (34.74 percent), while Bangka Regency recorded the lowest occupancy (17.11 percent).

Foreign tourists were recorded to have a longer stay, averaging 2.42 nights, compared to domestic tourists who stayed an average of 1.59 nights.

Responding to this increase in tourism performance, the Head of the Tourism, Culture, Youth, and Sports Office of Bangka Belitung Province, Wydia Kemala Sari, expressed her gratitude and appreciation.

Wydia emphasized that this growth is inseparable from the hard work of various parties and the improvement in the quality of tourist attractions. According to data from her office, the province has 640 tourist attractions, consisting of 216 cultural attractions, 372 natural attractions, and 52 man-made attractions.

"Tourist attractions that are increasingly well-managed are the main trigger for the rising interest of tourists visiting Babel," Wydia explained.

In 2024, the number of tourists staying in star-rated hotels was recorded at 482,541 people, consisting of 476,904 domestic tourists and 6,637 international tourists.

Wydia also said that the provincial government continued to prepare a comprehensive strategy to strengthen the competitiveness of regional tourism, one of which was through the drafting of the Provincial Tourism Development Master Plan (RIPARPROV) 2026–2045, which was aligned with the National Tourism Development Master Plan (RIPARNAS).

"Tourism has now become one of the flagship programs and a driving force for Babel's economic transformation. This sector has a strong multiplier effect and very promising long-term prospects," she said optimistically. (Irwanto)